The University of Iowa wants to expand its student security officer program. The students help with building checks, monitoring artwork, athletic events and other security-related tasks.

The program, which is only a few years old, currently employs about 60 student security officers, but it hopes to grow to nearly 125.

Jonathon Ron, a security supervisor, says it’s part of an effort to improve security on campus, but with a friendlier face.

"On one hand, it provides security to the different buildings in the assignment and on the other hand you get students who are part of the culture part of the environment here working together, and I think it's a perfect suit for that,” Ron said.

Sarah Ingwerson works at the art museum and keeps a watchful eye over the artwork.

"We do a lot of the jobs of just kind of being the first face that people see and it makes them feel safe makes them know that someone's there who knows what they're doing and being a student we can really integrate the rest of the community,” Ingwerson said.

Ron says the program has seen success in some medical instances.

"We had a lot of medical incidents where students found other students that are in bad shape called police or EMS (emergency medical services) right away and let them take over and help the students,” Ron said.

Ingwerson says it also improves relations between police officers and students.

“I think especially with some of the climates that we’re in now politically or socially I think it’s important to involve students in the security and safety on campus because I think we bring a different perspective with some of our ideas but then it also shows kind of the challenges that a lot of the officers and the Public Safety Department,” Ingwerson said.